USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holland > History of the town of Holland, Massachusetts > Part 9
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Passing to the south end of the town we find the brook emptying into the Quinnebaug River near the south end of the reservior. It is called May's brook (Great Brook, in 1759) in honor of Capt. Nehemiah May through whose farm it flowed.
Passing up this brook, an ideal trout stream, we come to a dam where Ebenezer Morris (brother of Judge Morris of Springfield, Mass.), who was a blacksmith by trade did busi- ness. He married Capt. May's daughter, Lorinda, and lived at the foot of the hill below Capt. May's house toward Mash- paug village. Besides doing the general work of blacksmith- ing, he manufactured seythes and axes. His shop was estab- lished prior to 1798. He was a man influential in town affairs and his name is frequently met in the early part of the last
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MANUFACTURES OF HOLLAND.
century in the town records. His contemporaries speak of him as a good workman and of progressive ideas. See XVI.
Proceeding up the stream a few rods we find another dam and mill-site. Harry E. Back, Esq., in his historieal booklet on the "Sources of the Quinnebaug River," states that Col. John May built this mill about 1825. It had an "undershot" wheel, "up and down" saw, which mill besides sawing lumber, did grinding and bolting, and later a circular saw was put in and a center vent wooden "wheel to furnish power." Col. John May sold this property to Grosvenor May, who later sold it to Gardner Wallis." Hiram Wallis, Gardner's brother, ran the mill for a while and some speak of it now as the Hiram Wallis mill. It is still owned by a representative of the Wallis family; George Wallis, son to Gardner Wallis, holding the record title. Mr. D. E. Butterworth claims that Col. John Butterworth had an interest in this mill at some time, either in way of repairs or of building the house, No. 109 nearly op- posite. Mr. Butterworth bought land (11 A.) of Zuriel May "with right to build a dam 16 feet high" in 1824. See deed of Zuriel May to John Cox Butterworth, 1824, Registry of Deeds, Springfield, Mass. John C. Butterworth soon, 1825, sold his claim to Abijah Pierce. See Registry.
Harry E. Back has some interesting notes about this mill. He says :
My great grandfather, Judah Back, Jr. (He bought the Capt. Nehemiah May place) lived upon the hill just north of this mill. While Mr. May was developing the power, Mr. Back was sceptical, did not believe there was sufficient water to grind corn and ridiculed the builder. When the mill was completed, just to make merry with the miller and demonstrate the short- comings of the mill, Mr. Back sent his boy, Harding Gates Back, (my great uncle) down to the mill with a peck of corn to be ground. He was greatly surprised when little Harding soon returned with the meal and he had to admit that the mill could grind. That was the first grist which came to the new mill." In another note he says: "My great uncle, Harding Gates
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
Back and Gardner Wallis quarreled. They agreed never again to speak one to the other. Shortly after, Mr. Back was cross- ing this mill pond upon the ice and broke through. He was unable to get out of the cold water. Looking around he saw Gardner Wallis in his yard above the pond. He remembered their agreement never to speak to one another. Rather than drown he shouted to Mr. Wallis for assistance. Mr. Wallis rescued him and the two men were staunch friends. Uncle Harding in telling of the affairs in after years, would elose the narrative in "Sam Lawson style" as follows: "Don't never say you won't say nothing to nobody for you don't know how soon you may have to." See XVII.
About one mile up May brook from the last mill is another dam, away from any highway and almost upon the state line. "The mill here," says Mr. Back, "was built by William Eaton, Gardner Wallis and Col. Sessions in 1810," a saw mill with an "up and down" saw and a 'float' (under shot) wheel. It was run until the timber of the neighborhood was used up and then rotted down. Ruins of the dam mark the spot. Other mills were upon this brook but as they are not in the town of Holland we omit their history. This mill was called the "Gardner Wallis" mill. See XVIII.
It seems strange that with all the water power the town of Holland possesses no manufacturing company with adequate means and ample business has ever settled here to utilize it. Tradition has it, that the company that later bought at Staf- ford Springs, Conn., made overtures to Mr. Drake to bny his property, offering what seemed a liberal price. Mr. Drake refusing, they bought at Stafford Springs. What a power to develop the town and the region it would have been had they bought !
"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune."-Shakespeare.
It seems a pity that all the water power which Holland pos- sesses should run to waste, when that power transformed
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MANUFACTURES OF HOLLAND.
into electric power could be easily conducted wherever needed and used. May that time soon come.
Near the silk mill-site at one time was a tan yard, run by Mr. Haradon who also made boots and shoes. The machine- made articles probably put him out of business. In the town records mention is made of a powder mill situated on the road near the house owned by Mr. Alexander of Worcester. It was assessed to Jacob Thompson and others in 1798 by the assess- ment roll for that year. It was a partnership enterprise. Mr. Charles S. Allen says, "the partners were Jacob Thompson, Alfred Lyon, and Timothy Anderson of Holland, Joseph Browning and Thomas Bliss of Brimfield. Jacob Thompson bought out the other partners in 1802. E. G. Fuller bought the powder-mill site of Jacob Thompson in 1818 for $150. It later became the factory site."
The records of the town reveal the fact that brick were made, and burned in Holland. The pioneer in this work was the owner of the homestead where Mr. John F. Hebard now lives, Israel Janes. The clay was obtained from the bed of Siog Lake near shore, and the bricks were burned on shore near the site of Mr. Hebard's cottages. It is probable that the bricks for the northwest school house, built 1800, were burned here. Later, Sumner Janes engaged in the manufacture of brick. He lived on the farm now owned by Mr. Warrington, and made brick. The pit from which he got the clay is still visible. It is believed that the brick for E. G. Fuller's mill was obtained from here.
Articles of earthernware for household use were made also in Holland by Edward Blodgett, who obtained the clay he needed from the bed of Siog Lake. His home at the time was what is now the Bagley cottage. John Hinds also worked at this business for a while. He is said to have lived on the old road from Dr. Dean's to the southwest school house. Map No. 74 or 75.
CHAPTER VII.
STORES OF HOLLAND
We have shown how customs have changed in regard to preparation of wardrobe for a household. But no less changes have come in regard to supplying food for the table. In those early days the grocer's wagon, butcher's cart, or fish peddler did not eall in the morning bringing their commodities to the door to give the farmers a fresh supply. The farmers' meat was from a barrel of salted beef or pork laid down the fall before except when a beef or pig was slaughtered in the spring with a chicken or fowl according to need. In case the animal slaughtered furnished more meat than he needed, a ready sale for the surplus was found among the neighbors. Fish was caught out of the ponds and streams consisting of trout, pickerel, and perch. These with game from the woods were the source of supply for his table one hundred years ago and more. But Holland in those days was not, as now, without the conveni- ence of a grocery store .* The farmers had a place where they could go and dispose of eggs and butter for molasses and other articles such as their needs demanded. Evert's "His- tory of the Connecticut Valley" declares that Holland's first grocery store was kept on the Eleazer Moore place by a Mr. Jno. Brown in 1788. His stock of goods must have been very limited. A barrel of molasses, a barrel of pork, a barrel of rum and a hundred pounds of saleratus made the grocer well- stocked ready for business. Pork and rum were the usual staple articles for sale, according to most accounts. Alfred Lyon kept store as well as tavern near the reservoir dam and town meeting used to adjourn at noon hour to his tavern after the church was moved on to the plain. If Col. Lyon's motive
*Mr. Jno. F. Hebard has recently entered into the grocery business.
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MANUFACTURES OF HOLLAND.
for change of church site was better field for drilling the mil- itia, it is probable that he also had in mind improved conditions for trade at his store and tavern by having it there. Isaac Partridge also kept a store for a time at his place and also kept tavern for a while after Col. Lyon moved to Brimfield.
Chase and Ward kept store (1813) in what now forms the ell to the hotel. Their store was undoubtedly a great con- venience to the town, and carried the usual line of goods for country store.
Luther Brown succeeded him as proprietor and was prom- inent in town affairs. Dr. Josiah Converse kept store in the building near the hotel and Sewell Glazier followed him. Clement B. Drake was his successor and was doing business there in 1848. About 1850, Elisha Kinney had a store there a number of years.
Orlando Anderson kept a grocery store near Fuller fac- tory in 1833, and enjoyed a reputation for honesty and fair dealing. Lynn and Co. were Mr. Anderson's successors in the same place.
About 1847, Willard Weld had a store in Fullers village under the firm title of "Weld & Son," Stephen C. Weld. In 1848, Jonathan Sykes had a store on the opposite side of the road above the bridge, while Rev. John Carpenter kept store on the corner north of the bridge, in 1860, moving the house in which Calvin Frizell had lived (sce map No. 48) to that site for his store building, and when it was closed in 1870 for the last time it ended the grocery business as a local enter- prise until recently.
In fact the local needs and trade would not support one, while the farmers going out of town for a market for their sur- plus produce could easily stock up with groceries before re- turning, on better terms than a local store could afford to sell them.
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
When Holland was incorporated into a district, the col- onies had just secured their freedom from England. It was natural that they should be jubliant over it. In celebrating an event so significant, so glorious, it was natural that they should celebrate the event not with explosives only, but with that which would tend to hilarity. In colonial times England had kept her colonies well supplied with rum and molasses from her West India colonies, and the grocers well knew what commodity they could sell readily and realize a goodly profit. Testimony is not lacking in regard to the general use of alco- holic stimulants, especially rum, at celebrations, Fourth of July, Cornwallis Day, Election Day, muster, church raisings, and the like, when many of the gathering would be in a eondi- tion not strictly sober. Pastors on calling days would return home in a condition which showed that they had taken "some- thing hot," while the adage "like pastor like people" proved too often to be true.
But for all this we feel assured that many men looked with disapproval upon its use, and seldom if ever touched it. Holland had its quota of such men. Men, prominent in the church, were against its use as is shown by various discus- sions and votes and neither pastors nor deacons were exempt from criticism or removal if found weak in this particular. Christian men began agitation in favor of temperance, and in- struction in regard to the evils of intemperance has progressed through the efforts of temperance organizations until both public reason and public conscience condemn the use or sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, while most of our rural towns now vote "no license," and the liquor dealer sells it in defiance of his God, his conscience, the best interests of his own family, and the best interests and sentiment of the com- munity. He and his family feel ashamed of the traffie under any conditions, and Holland does well to vote "no license" as a question of finance as well as of morals.
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STORES OF HOLLAND
TAVERNS OR INNS
Many are the old homesteads in Massachusetts and all New England that can boast that they were originally taverns where the tired horses and more tired passengers of the stage line could be refreshed and where they could be accommodated for the night if a snow storm or other cause prevented their making the next relay. Travelling by stage rendered such inns necessary, indispensable even, and some of them became popular resorts because of the good cheer dispensed therefrom. Holland had its taverns where horses and men were refreshed. The first tavern mentioned in the records of Holland is that of David Bugbee, which is the place now occupied by Mr. Wm. Lilley and family. Town meeting used to adjourn frequently about noon from the church which stood a few rods north, where it had been convened. After the church was moved on to the plain in 1793, in what is now the grove, they used to adjourn to Col. Alfred Lyon's tavern near the reservoir dam. This was later a regular relay station where the mail horses were changed, and old residents remember now when the place was so used. Col. Alfred Lyon was a man of varied interests, and prominent in town affairs, his tavern became a resort dur- ing the noon hour on the day of the annual town meeting and other times too, for it was not far from the church after it was moved.
Hallowell Perrin kept tavern at top of what is now known as Amber Hill.
HOLLAND INN.
" A region of repose it seems,
A place of slumber and of dreams,
Remote among the wooded hills!
For there no noisy railway speeds,
Its torch-race scattering smoke and gleeds; But noon and night, the panting teams
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
Stop under the great oaks, that throw Tangles of light and shade below, On roofs and doors and window-sills. Across the road the barns display Their lines of stalls, their mows of hay, Through the wide doors the breezes blow, The wattled cocks strut to and fro, And, half effaced by rain and shine,
The Red Horse prances on the sign."
H. W. Longfellow. "Tales of a Wayside Inn."
David Marcy, who married Sybil Perrin (1811) began keeping tavern on the Perrin place south of the present How- lett farm. It was probably a desire to get located on the turn- pike that led to his buying land, and building the present Hol- land Inn (1812). He had married and desired a place more favorable for business. The town had voted to sell to Luther Carter the strip of land west of the road and north of the road to Andrew Webber's house, provided he would build a hotel on it of given dimensions. The vote was fortunately reconsidered. David Marcy after building and running his hotel for two years disposed of it to John Webber who ran it several years. Mr. Bridgham followed him as proprietor. In 1820 it was run by Allen Tiffany, says Evert's "History." Then Luther Brown, Elbridge G. Fuller, Baxter Wood and Mr. Benson. In 1836 it came into ownership of Elisha Kinney, whose wife was Mary Ann, daughter of David Marcy, the builder thereof. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kinney were energetic, tactful, capable and business-like. They soon built up a large business and a fine reputation for the good cheer their table afforded.
Hunting parties, sleighing parties and parties of various kinds, kept the house well patronized. The writer has been inquired of in places remote from Holland, in Massachusetts
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STORES OF HOLLAND
and out of it, about the "Holland Inn" and has been told of the merry sleighing parties to it and suppers and dances attended there by them. Mrs. Kinney was an ideal hostess. It was marvelous with what celerity she would prepare food and set it before her guests, while all agreed that her cook- ing could not be excelled, and the wide circle of her patrons, all of whom bear testimony to her skill, was ample proof of her power. Kind and obliging, generous, helpful and public spirited, she had hosts of friends all around. Many speak now of her kindly and charitable life. Her work did not terminate with the round of duties necessary to keeping a public inn. The beautiful grove of trees on the Town Common is a monu- ment to her public spirit and foresight. At her own expense, as stated by Harry E. Back, Esq., Old Home Day, 1812, she frequently hired persons to go and trim the growing trees and clean the grounds, and acted as a guardian, self-appointed, to them. Citizens now declare that the grove in which they derive so much pleasure is largely due to her loving care and forethought. A noble monument to a noble woman.
Mr. Kinney, busied with the labor of raising the pro- visions for the table of Holland Hotel, left to Mrs. Kinney's judgment and skill the internal management. Evidences are not wanting to the fact that he was an energetic and skillful farmer and made the large farm produce the greater part of the foods needed. Both were well fitted to the calling and their grandchildren are natural restaurateurs in which they are extensively engaged in various cities of the United States. Their restaurants known as the "Waldorf" in cities East and West, feed multitudes every day, yielding health and pleasure to patrons and a fair profit to themselves. It seems to be a gift, a heritage passed from sire to son and grandsons even. Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Kinney were not members of the church, yet they manifestly believed in it as a conservative and con- structive force in society. They knew the mental, moral and
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
spiritual stimulus of public worship as the expression of faith in God, and it was their custom to be in their pew Sunday morning at the hour of worship. They knew the quieting, comforting influence of the sanctuary and their neighbors tell how reverent they were and especially was this true of Mrs. Kinney, whose sincerity and devotion to the church and what it stood for was worthy of imitation, and she contributed generously to its support. She was anxious that the gates of public worship should be kept open and to that end her purse was ever open. The helping hand went out to the widows and orphans in their affliction, which is faith expressed in life. Little wonder then that their circle of friends in town was large and extended all over the state and out of the state. After Mrs. Kinney's death, the son, Frank E. Kinney, carried on the business successfully until his untimely death by drowning made it expedient to dispose of the hotel property, and it passed into the hands of others. This family was much loved by the people of the town. Kind, warm hearted, sym- pathetic and true, they held the respect and affection of all that knew them, and wielded an influence encouraging and helpful. Many a poor man in the town laboring to pay for his home, and support his family found market for his surplus fruits and vegetables at Holland Inn, and went home encour. aged because he had turned his produce into cash at a good price. This encouraged industry and the desire to produce the best.
We here present a document which we learn was found by Oscar Kinney, grandson of the above, in an old Bible in his possession, which we insert as an item of deep interest to their many friends.
To all persons whom it may concern :
"This is to certify, that Mr. Elisha Kinney of Union, County of Tolland, State of Connecticut, and Miss Mary Ann Marcy of Holland, County of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massa-
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STORES OF HOLLAND
chusetts, were joined in marriage at Holland agreeably to the laws of the Commonwealth, on the twenty-fifth day of August in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, by me, Washington Munger, Pastor of the Bap- tist Church, Holland."
When our government was established, roads were poor and communication difficult. With the establishment of the stage lines, intercourse between places remote became easier and consequently more frequent. Relatives living far apart seldom heard from each other. Means of communication by letters was very infrequent and postage was high. When the Hartford and Worcester stage line, known as "The Eclipse Line," was started, and the turnpike built through Holland, it gave the town for that time means of communication, it has not enjoyed since. It was in this period Holland had its first post office started. David Marcy who had kept tavern about half a mile south of the church saw an opportunity to do more business if he located on the turnpike. This led to his build- ing the Holland Inn in 1812, and we find that he was the first regularly appointed postmaster Holland ever had, receiving a commission bearing date July 1, 1812. We can readily understand how anxiously the citizens would gather at the hotel when the stage was due to get the news about the second war with England" which had been declared eleven days be- fore. The utility of an established mail service could not be . questioned.
We give below the list of postmasters that Holland has had, appointees of the department at Washington: The list being from the Postmaster General's office.
Office
Postmaster
Date of Appointment
Holland, Mass.
David Marcy (est.)
1 July, 1812
Luther Brown 15 June, 1821
E. G. Fuller
30 June, 1824
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
Office
Postmaster
Date of Appointment
Holland, Mass.
Baxter Wood
29 May, 1828
E. T. Benson
27 May, 1835
E. G. Fuller
22 Apr., 1836
Benj. Ober
25 July, 1849
Elisha Kinney
28 Aug., 1850
F. E. Kinney
9 June, 1865
Charles Roper
17 July, 1882
H. E. Wallis
14 Dec., 1889
Wm. L. Webber
2 Oct., 1893
Lorinda A. Blodgett
14 Nov., 1905
Discontinued
30 Ang., 1907
We observe that many of the postmasters were propri- etors of Holland Inn. The postmastership was held by the Kinney family thirty-two years. One of the postmasters, Benjamin Ober, was pastor of the church, and had the post office at the parsonage. The list will doubtless bring many reminiscences to the old residents of the town. After the stage line was abandoned, trouble was experienced in having regular and efficient mail service. This is seen in various votes of the town, and appropriations therefor. It was brought for years from Brimfield by Mr. Wm. Lilley who has recently died, aged 80. He was a veteran of the Civil War, public spirited, giving to the town, under nominal restrictions, the right to pipe water down onto the common for public use, from a fine spring on his homestead. It will be noted that Holland post office was discontinued Aug. 30, 1907, at the request of a majority of citizens. Since then Holland has had her mail delivered by R. F. D. from Southbridge, it proving to be much more convenient to have the mail delivered once a day at or near the door, than by the old system.
A centre of social interest, where local politics may be discussed, where the village storyteller may spin his yarns, and the village gossip may peddle his stock of local rumors
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STORES OF HOLLAND
and cheap talk, displaying his taste for that article, is the vil- lage hotel, store and post office. Holland was not unlike other towns in this particular. She had her wag who readily saw the ludicrous in human nature. To the hotel, store, and post office he would go after chores were done and mecting there kindred spirits, would while away the long winter evenings, Having a natural gift for rhyming, he would entertain the crowd with his latest local hits, while isolation tends to foster those idiosyncrasies that mark the man, and furnish material for the wag.
CHAPTER VIII
THE SCHOOLS OF HOLLAND The Southland boasts its teeming cane, The prairied West its heavy grain, And sunset's radiant gates unfold On rising marts and sands of gold!
Rough, bleak, and hard our little State Is scant of soil, of limits strait ; Her yellow sands are sands alone, Her only mines are ice and stone!
From Autum frost to April rain, Too long her winter woods complain; From budding flower to falling leaf, Her summer time is all too brief.
Yet, on her rocks, and on her sands, And wintry hills, the school-house stands, And what her rugged soil denies, The harvest of the mind supplies.
The riches of the commonwealth Are free, strong minds, and hearts of health; And more to her than gold or grain, The cunning hand and cultured brain.
For well she keeps her ancient stock The stubborn strength of Pilgrim Rock And still maintains, with milder laws, And clearer light, the Good Old Cause!
Nor heeds the sceptic's puny hands, While near her school the church-spire stands; Nor fears the blinded bigot's rule, While near her church-spire stands the school!
J. G. Whittier.
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THE SCHOOLS OF HOLLAND
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